CAMIGUIN (PIA)--The Provincial Government of Camiguin led the 5th Provincial Health Board Meeting, May 23, at the New Capitol Building, Mambajao, where the measles supplemental immunization activity accomplishment, updates on Universal Health Care, COVID-19 cases, Northern Mindanao Regional Athletic Association Meet medics concerns, and additional health board members were discussed.

In the measles-rubella vaccination, the province has recorded 67.83% accomplishment, or 5,268 out of 7,767 target children to be vaccinated. From this number, 1,060 are from Catarman, Guinsiliban (368), Mahinog (871), Mambajao (2,084), and Sagay (885).

For bivalent oral polio, 94 out of the 95 target children, or 98.95%, have been accomplished in Barangay Bacnit, Sagay.

As for the Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) compliance for health, the provincial government has recorded 62.83% of the proportion of households using safely managed drinking water services, while the SGLG minimum requirement is more than or equal to the set national target of 55%.

However, the province needs to improve on the proportion of households using safely managed sanitation services, as it only recorded 26.15%.

On the tuberculosis (TB) case notification rate, Camiguin recorded 168 cases in 2021 as compared to 161 in 2020. The SGLG minimum requirement for such is equal to or above the CY 2020 performance result. For treatment, the province marked 91%, which met the SGLG minimum requirement of more than or equal to 90% TB treatment success rate.

Moreover, for the prevalence of stunting among children under 5 years old, the province marked 68.7% accomplishment on Operation Timbang (OPT) plus coverage.

The Provincial Health Office also reported an approved status of the SGLG minimum requirements in the institutionalization of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management in Health (DRRM-H) System.

This includes the approved DRRM-H plan, an organized and trained health emergency response team, 24-hour availability and accessibility of essential health emergency commodities, and the establishment of a health operations center.

Camiguin has also established a functional epidemiology and surveillance unit (ESU) with a staff complement, a distinct organizational chart, a work financial plan, and epidemiologic reports.

For the COVID-19 update, the province recorded six active cases of COVID-19, of which two were recorded from Mambajao, Mahinog (3), and Catarman (1), May 23.

"We still have four COVID admissions, so as of today, we still have six active, naa na'y nag-recover nga eight. It's concerning because COVID is still here, dili na gyud na mawala pero ang ako gyung gakabalak-an, na'y admissions, and then kanang mag-ICU pa gyud, and then mamatay. The problem lang is wala pa gyapon ta'y [bakuna], so dili pa gyapon ta maka-pick up sa atong vaccination sa boosters," Gov. Xavier Jesus Romualdo said.

(We still have four COVID admissions, so as of today, we still have six active and eight have recovered. It's concerning because COVID is still here and will never go away, but what I'm worried about are the admissions and then those who will actually go to the ICU and then die. The only problem is that we don't have the vaccines yet, so we can't speed up on our vaccinations in boosters)

He added that what the locals could best do is to still observe the health protocols, such as the wearing of face masks. (RTP/PIA-10/Camiguin)